Advancing Transparency Through the University Budget Committee

Dear Campus Community,

One of my commitments as President is to foster a culture of transparency, shared governance, and open communication across Cal Poly Pomona. As we continue building a stronger university together, it is important that our budget planning and resource allocation processes reflect these values.

To support this commitment, we are establishing the University Budget Committee (UBC). The committee will serve as the university's primary advisory body for budget planning and resource allocation, providing recommendations that help align our financial decisions with our strategic priorities and long-term vision.

The establishment of the University Budget Committee does not replace or alter the role of the Academic Senate Budget Committee, which will continue to operate in accordance with the Academic Senate Bylaws. The administration remains fully committed to engaging directly with the faculty through the Academic Senate and its established shared governance processes. Rather, the University Budget Committee complements these existing structures by bringing together representatives from faculty, staff, students, academic leadership, administrative divisions, and shared governance organizations in a single forum. This broad representation creates opportunities for university-wide dialogue, strengthens transparency, and ensures that budget discussions are informed by the diverse perspectives of the entire Cal Poly Pomona community.

The University Budget Committee will review budget assumptions, financial projections, major budget priorities, and long-term planning considerations. Committee members will also serve as a two-way communication link with the constituencies they represent by sharing committee discussions, providing context for budget decisions, gathering feedback, and bringing campus perspectives into future deliberations. Through this process, the committee will help foster a shared understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing our university while promoting informed dialogue about how we invest our resources to best support student success, academic excellence, operational effectiveness, and our mission.

Transparency is essential to building trust, strengthening shared governance, and ensuring that our university community understands how decisions are made and how resources are invested to advance our mission. The UBC is one of several important steps we are taking to foster an open, collaborative, and inclusive budget process. Throughout the year, we will provide regular updates on the university's budget through campus town hall discussions, Cabinet video updates, university-wide emails, and other communication channels. These efforts are intended to keep faculty, staff, and students informed, explain the rationale behind key budget decisions, and provide meaningful opportunities for engagement and dialogue as we work together to advance Cal Poly Pomona's strategic priorities.

I want to thank in advance the faculty, staff, students, and administrators who will be invited to serve on the inaugural University Budget Committee. Their participation will bring important expertise and diverse perspectives to this work and reflect the collaborative spirit we seek to strengthen at Cal Poly Pomona. As we establish the committee, I look forward to a thoughtful and transparent process grounded in shared responsibility, our commitment to student success, and responsible stewardship of the university’s resources.

By working collaboratively, communicating openly, and remaining focused on student success, we will continue to strengthen Cal Poly Pomona and expand the impact of our Learn. Do. Become. mission for generations to come.

Thank you for your partnership, your dedication to our students, and your unwavering Bronco Pride. The future of Cal Poly Pomona is exceptionally bright, and I look forward to building that future together.

With Bronco Pride!

Vanya Quiñones, Ph.D.

President